Dull hair is hair that lacks shine and moisture. It is usually coarse or rough to the touch and appears heavy. It may also sometimes appear greasy or dirty even though it’s not. 

While there can be many causes of dull hair, the most common factors are usually too much exposure to heat, sun damage, and product build-up in the scalp. 

A diet that’s lacking in essential nutrients can also cause hair to become dull and appear lifeless.
In this article, we’ll first understand what dull hair is and its causes. Then, we’ll share with you some simple home remedies before moving on to a list of the top 4 products that’ll make you say goodbye to dull hair!

Table of contents:

• What is dull hair
• How your hair becomes dull
• Causes of dull hair
• How do you treat dull hair
• Home remedies to fight dullness
• Ingredients your products for dull hair must have
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Avocado oil
• Coconut oil
• Onion oil
• Argan oil
• Essential oils
• Glycerin
• Top 4 products that’ll make you say goodbye to dull hair

What is dull hair

Hair that looks lifeless, lacks luster, is rough to the touch, and looks weighed-down, is known as dull hair. It can also often be dry and brittle. Occasionally, you may experience dull hair if you let too many days go by between washes. However, it should normally start looking healthy and shiny once again after you wash it.

Dull hair is not a condition that requires medical intervention. It can almost always be resolved by changing your hair care routine and diet. Switching to natural hair care products is especially beneficial if your hair is damaged due to chemical products or treatments.

However, if dullness doesn’t go away after trying some of the remedies and products suggested in this article, you may have an underlying health condition. If you suspect an underlying condition is making your hair dull and lifeless, you should see a qualified healthcare professional.

How your hair becomes dull

You can identify damaged hair by its texture and how easy it is to manage and style. If it’s frizzy, breaks easily, has split ends or tends to get tangled easily and often, it is damaged. 

Hair appears shiny because it absorbs and reflects light. When the hair’s hydro-lipid barrier breaks, it stops reflecting light and starts appearing dull.

It also stops absorbing or retaining moisture that makes it soft to the touch. Hair may appear further dull or completely lifeless if it also was exposed to extensive heat or chemicals.

Some hair types are naturally prone to appear dull regardless of how healthy it is otherwise. For example, curly hair often appears dull even if it is healthy. This happens because curly hair tends to be drier and doesn’t reflect light as well as straight hair. Even wavy hair may appear shinier than curls or coils.

However, even curly hair can be shiny if cared for properly. So, if your hair is dull or lifeless despite a proper hair care routine, it may be because of chemical or heat damage. 

Causes of dull hair

While hair tends to lose some of its natural moisture and oils as we grow older, there are several other causes that can make hair dull. Some of the factors causing dullness are:

• Excessive exposure to sunlight and hot weather
• Exposure to extreme weather or sudden changes in climate
• Excessive exposure to heat (from hot water, styling tools like curlers and straighteners, or blow-drying every day)
• Using products that aren’t made for your hair type, like using products for dry hair when you have oily hair
• Using products that contain harsh chemicals
• Hormonal changes during pregnancy - this is temporary, and your hair will usually return to its original texture naturally
• A long gap between hair washes causes products, dirt, and oil to build upon the scalp
• Using a shampoo that doesn’t clear build-up effectively

How do you treat dull hair

When dull hair is not caused by an underlying health condition, it can often be treated with simple home remedies and changes in your hair care routine and diet. Here are some home remedies for dull hair that you can try now!

Home remedies to fight dullness

Follow these simple tips to fight dull hair and maintain a healthy texture.

Upgrade your diet: Try to include more nutritious food in your diet. A diet that is rich in protein, iron, vitamins A, C, and E, and omega-3 can help restore your hair’s natural shine and texture. Foods such as fish, eggs, carrots, avocados, leafy greens, nuts, and citric fruits are rich in these nutrients.

Apart from the remedies mentioned above, you may benefit from using hair care products that contain specific ingredients.

Ingredients your products for dull hair must have

You can find several products on the market that claim to revive dull, lifeless hair, and some of them may even work for you. However, most of these products often contain harsh chemicals meant to “condition” your hair to appear a certain way.

These chemicals may cause more damage to your hair instead of helping you revive its vitality. Using natural or vegan products instead can help nourish and hydrate your dry hair to bring back its shine and vitality.

Here’s a list of natural ingredients that your hair care products for dull hair must have.

• Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is a great astringent, and it also has antifungal properties that make it perfect for cleansing your scalp. Washing your hair with an apple cider vinegar solution at least once a week can help clear build-up, restore shine to your hair, smoothen frizz, and bring back its vitality. 

• Avocado oil

Avocado is full of nutrients that are necessary for healthy hair, such as vitamins A, E, and C, fatty acids, and proteins. Applying avocado oil to your scalp can provide intense nourishment to your roots and also make your strands appear healthier. You may also benefit from using a hair mask made of avocado pulp.

• Coconut oil

Coconut oil has universal uses that are not limited to hair care. But it is an essential part of every hair care routine regardless of your hair type or hair concerns. It is rich in antioxidants, Vitamin E, and other nutrients that promote scalp health. Massaging it into your scalp also promotes blood circulation to provide deep nourishment to your roots. It can help your hair grow stronger and healthier.

• Onion oil

Onion oil is naturally rich in vitamin C and folic acid, both of which are essential for the vitality of your hair. It’s also rich in antioxidants that can help you revive the softness and shine of your hair. It also has natural antifungal properties that can reduce dandruff and promote overall scalp health.

• Argan oil

While argan oil, often known as liquid gold, has multiple benefits for hair, it’s especially useful for dry, dull, or lifeless hair. It’s full of nutrients that provide deep hydration and nourishment to your scalp as well as hair strands.

• Essential oils

Using products that are rich in nutrients and antioxidants can help provide deep nourishment to your hair topically. Look out for products that contain oils like castor, jojoba, almond, or olive to promote hair health. They can help bring back the vitality and shine of your hair along with its soft texture.

• Glycerin

Glycerin not only adds a layer of shine to your hair but also helps restore its natural moisture barrier, also known as the hydro-lipid barrier. Restoring this barrier can help your hair absorb and retain intense moisture, alleviating dryness and dullness.

Top 4 products that’ll make you say goodbye to dull hair

While you can use most of the ingredients listed above individually, it may be easier to buy products that already contain these ingredients. Here are some of our product recommendations to restore vitality to dull hair:

• The WOW Skin Science Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo and Coconut/Avocado Oil Conditioner set is essential for dull or lifeless hair. The Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo is infused with raw apple cider vinegar that cleanses your scalp without drying it. The Coconut & Avocado Oil Conditioner is perfect for deep-conditioning dull hair and reviving its soft, shiny texture.
• The WOW Skin Science Onion Black Seed Hair Oil provides intense nourishment to the hair and scalp, helping your roots become stronger. Active ingredients in the oil like onion, black seed, castor, almond, coconut, jojoba, and argan oil all contain properties that help with dull hair. 
• The WOW Skin Science Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner set contains argan oil that’s full of nutrients and antioxidants that can revive lifeless hair. It also contains other useful oils like coconut, castor, jojoba, and sweet almond. With the potent combination of oils, it also contains Vitamin B3, which is essential for healthy, soft, and shiny hair. It can help dull hair maintain volume, and reduce frizz and damage.

• The WOW Skin Science Hair Revitalizer Spray is an essential product if you have dull, weak, brittle, or lifeless hair. The hair spray is made with 100% natural ingredients that help hydrate your hair and give it a glossy, voluminous look. It helps restore the natural moisture barrier of your hair to keep external irritants out and helps seal moisture into the strands and cuticles.

Dull hair is a common concern that most of us have faced at least once in our lives. However, it can often be fixed with changes to your hair care routine, diet, and hair care products and rarely requires medical intervention. 

Using the simple home remedies given above, such as reducing heat and sun exposure, reducing the use of chemical products, and moderating your hair wash routine, can help dull hair. Switching to all-natural hair products such as the ones recommended above can also help provide immense hydration and nutrition to your locks.